MILLSAP FARMS CSA NEWSLETTER
Turning our compost! Thanks for all your leaves – it’s not too late to bring them out if you still need to!
MILLSAP FARM ELSEWHEREW E B S I T E
Happy Thanksgiving! This is the 3rd Winter CSA! (Farmers Market Pick up this Wednesday from 4 to 8pm)
Farm News: Thanksgiving on the Farm
November 21, 2017
Since I’ve started farming over a decade ago, I’ve learned a lot about gratitude.

Perhaps it’s partly because of our constant exposure to the outdoors, where we realize just how vulnerable we are to the weather, which is completely out of our control. Having seen 80 mile per hour winds, hail the size of baseballs, and unprecedented rainstorms, I’m grateful for each day that brings sunshine or rain, heat or snow. Every morning is a cause for celebration, as a new day brings endless variety in the weather.

Perhaps it’s realizing how amazingly we are knit together, from the way our bodies continue to bend and lift to weed and harvest, or the satisfaction of learning a new skill, repeating it until it is etched in muscle memory, reducing waste motion until our bodies perform a dance with the task at hand.

Perhaps it’s appreciating that we live in a world of grace, with many opportunities for second, third, and beyond chances. Every time we come to the end of a season I’m struck by what a blessing it is that we’ll get to try it again next season, tweaking our plan and execution just a bit. For each day that doesn’t go the way we wish it had, there is another to follow, with an opportunity to redeem what is lost.

Perhaps it’s the joy of working with my family, and close friends, helping each other accomplish the work set before us, sharing meals, playing together, meeting new friends together.

Perhaps it’s the comfort of seeing CSA members who embody what it means to be Community Supported Agriculture, as we see them weekly and talk to them about their lives and how much they value what we do here. Our work is made so much more valuable by the appreciation of our members.

Altogether, I would say that it seems like I am right where I belong, and I’m truly grateful for that. Thank you for your role in that, and I pray that your Thanksgiving is truly blessed.

PREPARATION
1 With a sharp knife cut an X on the round side of each chestnut. Spread the chestnuts in one layer in a jelly-roll pan, add 1/4 cup water, and bake the chestnuts in a preheated 450°F. oven for 10 minutes, or until the shells open. Remove the chestnuts, a handful at a time, and shell and peel them while they are still hot.
2 Reheat the oven to 325°F. In a shallow baking pan arrange the bread pieces in one layer, bake them in the oven, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they are golden, and transfer them to a large bowl. In a large skillet cook the onions, the celery, the sage, the thyme, the rosemary, and the savory in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, add the chestnuts, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the vegetable mixture to the bread pieces, tossing the mixture well, stir in the parsley and salt and pepper to taste, and let the stuffing cool completely. The stuffing may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled. (To prevent bacterial growth do not stuff turkey cavities in advance.) Makes enough to stuff a 12- to 14-pound turkey with extra to bake on the side.Pumpkin Pie from Scratch
Makes 1 pie plus 1 quart of pumpkin custard

INGREDIENTS
• 1 small fresh pumpkin, smaller is better, about 8-12 inches tall. 2 cups finished pumpkin per pie
• 1 (12 ounce) cans evaporated milk
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, if desired
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, if desired
• 1 (9 inch) deep dish pie shells
DIRECTIONS
1 Wash pumpkin, remove seeds,place in bowl and set aside,(more on seeds later).
2 cut pumpkin into pieces small enough to fit into metal colander, or veggie steamer, place into large enough pot so colander fits into it, fill bottom with water (to your second knuckle) put tight lid on pot and bring to boil. When water is boiling reduce to a hard simmer. Fork test for doneness after 1/2 hour, check water level. Repeat every 15-20 minute until done-like your boiled potatoes.
3 Drain water carefully, with clamped on lid and potholders.
4 Set aside to cool. When cool, place skin side in palm of hand and remove pulp with spoon, spoon into bowl.
5 If you want puree type pumpkin, put through sieve, food mill, blender, or food processor. I like mine using the hand potato masher, mashed well.
6 Measure out 2 cups pumpkin for pie, put into bowl. Place the rest into freezer containers for later (2 cups for pies) pies and bread or cookies, or as a side veggie.
7 Add in bowl sugar, salt, spices, eggs. Mix then carefully add milk and stir.
8 Pour into pie shell, foil edges, and place on foiled, cookie sheet and bake 350°F for 50-60 minutes. Give knife clean test. If not clean, bake longer.
9 Left over pumpkin pie mix I place into a greased 1 qt.oven proof dish and bake in a water bath like, custard.
10 Pumpkin seeds keep the kids busy, let them clean them, do not worry about the strings this is there project. Soak over night in salt water. Heat oven to 300°F; melt some butter (2-3 tsp) on cookie sheet in oven. Place drained seeds on sheet and add pumpkin pie spices and sugar or cinnamon and sugar to taste. Stir every so often- 15-20 minutes, they will stick together, just mash out with your pancake flipper. After about 30-45 minutes they should be done. Give them the “crispy” test. Careful–the hot sugar will burn your fingers.Thanks for choosing us to be your farmers!~Millsap Farm Crew